Harbor Beach, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harbor Beach, Michigan
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Location within Huron County
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 Harbor Beach, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Huron |
| Settled | 1838 |
| Incorporated | 1910 (city) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.06 sq mi (5.33 km2) |
| • Land | 1.72 sq mi (4.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.87 km2) |
| Elevation | 600 ft (183 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,604 |
| • Density | 932.02/sq mi (359.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48441
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| Area code(s) | 989 |
| FIPS code | 26-36460 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0627752 |
Harbor Beach is a city in Huron County, Michigan. It's located in the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 1,604 people lived there.
Contents
History of Harbor Beach
The first people settled in this area in 1837. They built a sawmill to cut wood. The settlement was first called Barnettsville in 1855. As it grew, the town was renamed Sand Beach. In 1899, the village changed its name to Harbor Beach. This was because people thought the name Sand Beach didn't fully describe the area. In 1910, Harbor Beach officially became a city.
The World's Largest Freshwater Harbor
Harbor Beach is on the eastern shore of Lake Huron. It's known for having the world's largest man-made freshwater harbor! This harbor is a safe place for ships traveling between Port Huron and Pointe Aux Barques. It also has a fishing pier that people with disabilities can easily use. The city's marina offers services for visiting boats. It also provides shuttle services to the downtown area. The downtown still has its charming old-town feel.
Harbor Beach Resort Association
The HBRA association started in 1896. It was a summer vacation spot in Harbor Beach. The resort is about three hours north of Detroit, Michigan. Today, it's still open and used by the great-great-grandchildren of the families who first started it.
Football Championship
Harbor Beach won the 2012 Division 8 State Football Championship!
Geography of Harbor Beach
- Harbor Beach covers about 2.09 square miles (5.41 square kilometers). About 1.75 square miles (4.53 square kilometers) is land. The rest, 0.34 square miles (0.88 square kilometers), is water.
- The city is part of a region in Michigan called "the Thumb". This area looks like a thumb on a map of Michigan.
- The two main state roads that go through Harbor Beach are M-25 and M-142.
Population of Harbor Beach
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 534 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,046 | 95.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,149 | 9.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,556 | 35.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,927 | 23.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,892 | −1.8% | |
| 1940 | 2,186 | 15.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,349 | 7.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,282 | −2.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,134 | −6.5% | |
| 1980 | 2,000 | −6.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,089 | 4.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,837 | −12.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,703 | −7.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,604 | −5.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 1,703 people living in Harbor Beach. The city had 774 households. The average age of people in the city was 47.7 years old.
Climate in Harbor Beach
| Climate data for Harbor Beach, Michigan (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1899–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
68 (20) |
84 (29) |
89 (32) |
92 (33) |
100 (38) |
105 (41) |
102 (39) |
98 (37) |
88 (31) |
80 (27) |
65 (18) |
105 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 28.7 (−1.8) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
38.5 (3.6) |
49.1 (9.5) |
60.5 (15.8) |
70.6 (21.4) |
76.6 (24.8) |
75.9 (24.4) |
69.9 (21.1) |
57.7 (14.3) |
45.0 (7.2) |
34.2 (1.2) |
53.1 (11.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 22.3 (−5.4) |
22.9 (−5.1) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
41.1 (5.1) |
52.2 (11.2) |
62.2 (16.8) |
68.1 (20.1) |
67.4 (19.7) |
61.0 (16.1) |
49.7 (9.8) |
38.4 (3.6) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
45.4 (7.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15.9 (−8.9) |
15.6 (−9.1) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
33.1 (0.6) |
43.8 (6.6) |
53.9 (12.2) |
59.6 (15.3) |
58.9 (14.9) |
52.0 (11.1) |
41.6 (5.3) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
37.7 (3.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) |
−22 (−30) |
−12 (−24) |
3 (−16) |
24 (−4) |
32 (0) |
38 (3) |
35 (2) |
21 (−6) |
10 (−12) |
4 (−16) |
−14 (−26) |
−22 (−30) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.40 (61) |
2.05 (52) |
1.90 (48) |
3.60 (91) |
3.20 (81) |
3.34 (85) |
3.03 (77) |
3.30 (84) |
3.19 (81) |
3.05 (77) |
2.64 (67) |
2.27 (58) |
33.97 (863) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 15.4 (39) |
11.2 (28) |
6.0 (15) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.7 (4.3) |
11.5 (29) |
47.2 (120) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 16.4 | 11.1 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 13.8 | 13.0 | 14.5 | 139.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 10.0 | 7.6 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 7.0 | 31.0 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Famous People from Harbor Beach
- Frank Murphy: He was a very important person! He served as the Mayor of Detroit, the last Governor General of the Philippine Islands, and the first High Commissioner of the Philippines. He was also the Governor of Michigan, the United States Attorney General, and even a judge on the highest court, the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Dick Lange: A baseball player who pitched for the California Angels.
- James H. Lincoln: A Detroit City councilman and a judge in Michigan. He also wrote books.
- Louis J. Sebille: A brave pilot in World War II and the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor after he passed away.
Fun Things to See and Do
- The Harbor Beach Light is a lighthouse at the end of the north breakwater. This breakwater helps protect the harbor. You can take tours of the lighthouse on Saturdays during the summer!
- The Harbor Beach Community House is in the center of town. It has a cool mural on its side. This mural shows local history, like farming, famous people like Frank Murphy, shipwrecks, and trains.
- The Grice House Museum lets you see what life was like long ago. It helps keep history alive for everyone.
- The Frank Murphy Memorial Museum and home is where Frank Murphy was born. It also includes his father's law office.
- The Harbor Beach Farmers Market is an outdoor market. It's open every Friday during the summer until October 7. You can find it on the grounds of the Frank Murphy's Museum.
- Expedition Music Store is known as the best music store in the Thumb area!
Schools in Harbor Beach
- Harbor Beach Community Schools
- Harbor Beach Elementary School
- Harbor Beach Middle School
- Harbor Beach High School
- Lucille H. McCollough went to this high school.
- Our Lady Of Lake Huron School
- Zion Lutheran School
Historic Places to Visit
Harbor Beach has several places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important to history and are protected.
- Grice House Museum: This building is important for its architecture and engineering. It shows what homes were like between 1875 and 1899. Today, it's a museum.
- Harbor Beach Lighthouse: This lighthouse is important for its design and its role in maritime history and transportation. It was built between 1875 and 1899.
- Frank Murphy Birthplace: This is the home where Frank Murphy was born. It's important for social history and politics. It was built between 1875 and 1899. Today, it's a museum.
- Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor: These structures are important for engineering and industry. They were built over many years, from 1875 to 1949, to help with water transportation.
See also
In Spanish: Harbor Beach para niños
